Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-21
DAILY HERALD.
IDOLATRY.
Curious Religious Festival
i'm Chinatown.
TT WILL LAST THREE DAYS.
New JOsses to be WOrshipped-Last
Nights PrOceedings-The
Dead Invited.

Nights PrOceedings-The
Dead Invited.
For q week or two past the inhabit-
ants of Chinatown have been in a
state of fernent, owing to the approach
Of their celebrated triennial religious
feast, and have erected special
building for the reception of several
new Josses which have been prepared
for the occasion. The three
forms of religious belief pre-
valent in China are the Confucian
the Taouist and the Buddhist and the
two former religions are the ones most
generally observed being indigenous
the latter creed having been intro
duced from India. The Confucian
religion, which probably numbers
more followers than either of the 9TH
ersis like all idolatrous religious, myth
illogical, the gods being supposed to
have once dwelt on earth and
handed their power down to god-like
descendants who acted as rulers over
the destinies of the kingdom. Among
the most important Of these was the
famous Fo-hi who ruled the country
with the irons of war and who is at the
present time one of the favorite josses
Of the creed. Every three
years special religious service
is held, when by feasaing and prayer
the gods are supposed to be conciliated
and the efforts of the people aided and
carried to a successful issue. This
season will be inaugurated in Los An
geles tonight, and the most elaborate
preparations have been made by the
Chinese residents, SO as to carry
on the feast on a scale OF
unparalleled magnitude. A HERALD
reporter visited Chinatown last night
to make personal observations regard
ing what had been done and, luckily
securing the services of an English.
speaking Mongolian, he was ushered
into the building in which the
religious rites will be held. The
scene within was both unique and
striking. Elaborate workings in brass
representing the weapons OF pre-histor-
ic times were arranged in stands
around the walls, and on either side OF
the stage were silken canopies and
elaborately woven silken mattings.
Groups representing the doings OF the
god as sung in the annals of Chinese
liberation occupied a conspicuous posi-
ton in the background, and the work
manship evidenced great skill on the
part of the nanipulators. Hideous-
looking dragons we're to be seen in every
direction and one of the principal Oh
jects of attraction was an equestrian
mounted on dapple-grey steed, the
whole thing being manufactured out
Of paper. The two josses are terrible
looking fellows about ten feet in
height and it appears as if the
object of their constructors has
been to make them as hideous as pos
siDle, and they have certainly very
well succeeded. Everything has been
shipped from San Francisco and most
Of the articles have been imported
from the Flowery Kingdom itself.
THE SERVICES
Are to be conducted by a number of
high priests, and these officials arrived
from the Bay City on yesterdays train.
They are accompanied by number of
youthful acolytes, and as the scribe
crossed the narrow street after
emerging from the temple, he
saw them just issuing from one
of the adjacent stores. The priests
we're attired in long robes OF cardinal
hue, their head-dress consisting OF \
small black beretta with huge brass
top-knot. The acolytes are youths
of tender years, and their dresses
we're long flowing mantles OF sky-blue
tint, with head-dress similar,
TO that of the priests. They
we're walking in the direction OF
the boundaries OF Chinatown, and
smelling an item in the distance, the
reporter followed in their train. He
was not disappointed.
CURIOUS CEREMONY.
Arriving at the southern boundary
Of the district his attention was drawn
to a mass of foliage adorning the top
of a pole, and from this tiuttered II
pendant dotted with mysterious hero
glyphics. Beneath this the process
sion halted, and soon there appeared
on the scene two attendants bearing a
wooden table on which was placed an
assortment of viands consisting OF rice
chicken, cakes, vermicelli. dough-nuts
and tea. This was placed on the
ground, and number of candles Lit
around it. lnquiring as to the OBJ
iect OF these proceedings the
scribe was informed that the priest
was about to issue an invitation to the
spirits Of the departed to attend at the
ceremonies which will be observed
during the next three days. After
everything was satisfactorily arranged
the priest stepped at the
back Of the table, the acolytes
ranged themselves behind him
and the services began. Accompanied
by the doleful wall Of a curious brass
cornet, the priest chanted a monoto-
nous invocation and ever and anon he
and all his attendants would bow sol
emnly to the table before them.
Then another individual arrived with
metal drum and made the medley
more hideous by tapping it
at what were doubtless the
impressive parts of the ceremony.
The proceedings We're kept up for
over an hour, after which the process
sion returned to the street, leaving the
banquet in all its tempting array for
any callers from spirit-land.
The three-days' prayer will be for
mally opened tonight by imposing
ceremonies in the new building, and
to those who are interested in the re-
ligion Of the heathen a visit will
doubtless prove both interesting and
instructive.